Discussion » Questions » Random Knowledge » When they recycle items like stoves, fridges, washers, dryers etc it is all melted down but how do they separate all the different metals?
Kittigate

When they recycle items like stoves, fridges, washers, dryers etc it is all melted down but how do they separate all the different metals?

I've always been curious,  I used to take loads of appliances sort of thing to the 'shredder'  place where the stuff was put in a shredding machine and come out in small chunks then loaded into railcars the people said it all goes to China. I imagine they must separate the different metals somehow. 

Posted - September 27, 2019
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Responses


  • 10026
    ...By color and weight and little china-man hands? ;)
    Don't they pre-sort it by appliance?  It would disastrous to have the metal toaster mix with the refrigerator ice-maker!  What is the world coming to?


      September 27, 2019 11:33 PM MDT
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  • 13395
    When the scrap metals go to China they don't bother separating and refining the metals very well like they should. That is why the pots and pans they make always leak, the metal tools and things always break or bend out of shape.. cheap retail prices (pardon those tariffs) but crap quality. 

    I would never buy a car made in China or fly on a plane manufactured in China. 
      September 28, 2019 4:47 AM MDT
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  • 10026
    Darn good points!  I never thought of it but it makes perfect sense.
    I always thought they just had too many people trying to make the same thing and the competition was so high they skimped on the quality and went for quickness and quantity instead.
    That is good to know.  Thanks! :) :)

      September 28, 2019 11:03 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    https://www.thebalancesmb.com/an-introduction-to-metal-recycling-4057469
      September 27, 2019 11:43 PM MDT
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  • 13395
    Interesting -thanks. 
      September 28, 2019 3:49 AM MDT
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  • 6988
    I was watching 'The Junk Channel' on TV and they showed a giant metal grinder machine chewing up whole autos. Everything came down a conveyor belt in the form of small pieces. 
      September 29, 2019 7:07 AM MDT
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